Utilizing borax trifluoride as a beta-stage gelling agent



United States Patent 8 Claims. (Cl. 260-865) This application is a division of application Ser. No. 6,372 filed Feb. 3, 1960 now Patent No. 3,288,735.

initiation of polymerization to said resin at a high temperature and (b) a subsequent step of curing said gel to hard product by heating.

The present invention is based upon the following findings: (l) unsaturated polyester resins, by adding to them a gelator selected from (a) ionic polymerization catalysts (b) gelling agents such as diisocyanate and butyl titanate (c) both organic quaternary ammonium compounds and mercaptans, are converted to gels which are stable for a considerable period of time; (2) by adding free radical polymerization catalysts to said polyester resins prior to forming gels in the above manner, said gels when formed are rapidly polymerized to a hard polymer by heating. The gelator as employed herein is an agent causing gelation to said resin.

In the conventional promoting agents which act catalytically for the former In such a case the resin difficulties and impossibilities.

Under the present-invention, unsaturated polyester resins may be maintained in stable gels for a considerably long period'of three days to three months or more. Thus polyester resin and an unsaturated monomer with 0.01- 5 quaternary ammonium compounds and mercaptans, thereby gelling said mixture at a room temperature or below 60 C. (this. step being hereinafter referred to as the first stage): subsequently, the resulting reaction material in a gel state is heated at a high temperature whereby it is cured to a hard infusible product (this step being captans, 0.001 to 5 parts each.

The unsaturated polyester resin kind of unsaturated as employed in this polyester resin that is formed by the esterification of polybasic acids including 0.5:0.5:0.55:O.55 are reacted at an alpha, beta-olefinically unsaturated dibasic acid with and/or polyvalent alcohols comprising mainly alcohols. The resin then is dissolved in a monomer having an unsaturated double bond which is copolyminhibitors). Typical saturated polybasic acids are the dibasic acids including phthalic acid, teraphthalic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid and the like. Typical unsaturated ethylene glycols, propylene glycol, ene glycols, 1,'6hexanediol, 1,3-butylene glycol, 2,2-dimethyl-propane-1,3-diol, and the like. Typical unsaturated monomers copolymerizable with the unsaturated polyester resins are styrene, acrylonitrile, ethylvinylbenzene,

following manner: anhydrous maleic acid, anhydrous phthalic acid, ethylene glycol, and propylene glycol in amounts corresponding to a respective mole ratio of C. until the acid value of the mixture reaches 50, ester resin thus formed quinone has been added as an inhibitor.

The inhibitor as employed in this invention is such an agent or mixture thereof which acts to inhibit free tion inhibitors known in the art.

The free radical polymerization catalyst as employed in this invention is such a catalyst in the presence of which between alpha, beta-unsaturated double bonds and unsaturated monomers which are co- To exemplify, typical free are benzoyl peroxide, lauroyl peroxide, tertiary-butyl perbenzoate, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, azobisisobutylonitrile, etc.

The ionic polymerization catalyst as employed in this invention is such a catalyst which double bonds of the causes polarization which initiates polymerization in said resin. The catalyst which gives positive electric charge to the opposite side of the carbon atom in the double bonds which is coordinated with said catalyst is called a cationic polymerization catalyst, whilst that which gives negative electric charge is called an anionic polymerization catalyst. The former, i.e., the cationic catalyst, is typified by inorganic strong acids, aluminium chloride, aluminium fluoride, boron trifiuoride, ferric trichloride, stannic tetrachloride, and titanium tetrachloride; the latter, i.e., the anionic catalyst is typified by alkali metal alkyl compounds, alkali metal amides, alkyl aluminium compounds, alkaline earth metal alkyl compounds, triphenylmethyl bromide and Grignards reagents.

The gelling agent as employed in this invention is selected from the following: (a) a compound, or mixture of compounds, which contain more than two radicals in each molecule that can be chemically bonded with the unsaturated polyester by reacting with the active hydrogen atoms of the terminal carboxyl groups or the terminal hydroxyl groups of said ester at a temperature below 60 C.', (b) a compound, or mixture of compounds, which contain more than two groups in each molecule that can be chemically bonded with the unsaturated polyester by reacting with the terminal alkoxyl groups of said polyester through an ester interchange at a temperature below 60 C. To exemplify, a typical gelling agent is tolylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, triphenylmethane triisocyanate, polyaryl polyisocyanate, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, carbonyl chloride, halides of elements classified in Groups No. 3 to No. 8 of the periodic table, or alcohola-tes and their derivatives of elements classified in Groups No. 3 to No. 8 of the periodic table including butyl titanate, aluminium alcoholate, aluminium alcoholate-ethyl acetoacetate chelate compound, and aluminium alcoholate-acetylacetone chelate compound.

The organic quaternary ammonium compounds as employed in this invention are represented by the formula:

R1 Bri l-R4 X wherein (1) R R R and R are selected from the following organic functional groups; (a) saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon groups having 1 to 18 carbon atoms such as butyl, methyl, propyl, isopropyl, primary-, secondaryor tertiary-butyls, amyl, octyl, cetyl, dodecyl, oleyl, stearyl, phenyl, benzyl, tolyl; (b) such organic acid groups, i.e., acyl groups, as have 1 to 18 carbon atoms, e.g., lauroyl, benzoyl and palmitoyl; (c) halogen and hydroxy derivatives of the groups set forth in (a) and (b) above; (d) cyclic groups wherein R R R and R are bonded together in one or two pairs to form a cyclic structure such as in pyridinium salt; (e) organic quaternary ammonium salt groups bonded by divalent hydrocarbon, e.g., alkylene groups, to the nitrogen shown in the above formula, such as in ethylenebis (trimethyl ammonium); and (2) wherein X is selected from (a) residual acid groups of non-oxidizable strong, inorganic acids such as hydrogen chloride, sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen iodide; (b) residual acid groups of comparatively strong organic acids such as acetic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, malonic acid, chloroacetic acid; (c) residual acid groups of hydroxy-carboxylic acid such as lactic acid; or (d) the hydroxyl group. The organic quaternary ammonium compounds as above-mentioned are actually employed not only singly but also as mixtures thereof.

The mercaptans as employed in this invention in combination with the quaternary ammonium compounds are monovalent and divalent mercaptans selected from the following: (a) the mono-mercaptans; their organic groups being selected from the following: (i) alkyl groups having 1 to 20 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, primary-, secondaryor tertiary-butyls, dodecyl, cetyl; (ii) halogen, amino or nitro derivatives of groups selected from (i) above; (iii) aryl groups such as phenyl and benzyl; (iv) unsaturated hydrocarbons such as allyl and butenyl; (b) the di-mercaptans; alkane dithiols with 2 to 12 carbon atoms such as ethane dithiol and butanedithiol.

When the ionic polymerization catalyst is admixed with the mixture of unsaturated polyester resin, unsaturated monomer, inhibitor and free radical catalyst, the resin mixture polymerizes at room temperature to a gel without diminishing the effects of the inhibitor. Thereby the product of this initial polymerization has a low molecular weight, which enables the resulting unsaturated polyester resin mixture to be maintained in a stable gel state for a long period.

The gelling agent also does not act upon the unsaturated monomer, inhibitor or free radical catalyst present in the unsaturated polyester resin mixture but reacts with the active hydrogen atoms of the terminal hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of the polyester resin or it causes an ester interchange with the terminal alkoxy groups of the resin, thereby causing cross-linkages between said resin and the gelling agent. This leads to the formation of a stable gel state. Since the inhibitor remains effective in the resin mixture, the resin mixture can be maintained in a gel state for a long period of time without incurring any substantial copolymerization between the alpha, beta-unsaturated double bonds and the unsaturated monomers in said resin mixture.

When organic quaternary ammonium compounds and mercaptans are added to the unsaturated polyester resin mixture, the resin mixture is converted to a gel at a room temperature in a short period of time by the formation of cross-linkages between the alpha, beta double bonds of the polyester resin and the unsaturated monomers in the mixture. In this case, the resin is maintained in a stable gel state since the cross-linkages do not proceed any further beyond the gel stage. As one embodiment of this invention, the organic quaternary ammonium compounds are first mixed with the polyester resin and unsaturated monomer mixture, since said compounds act themselves as inhibitors, and any other inhibitor may not necessarily be added where said ammonium compounds have been added to the polyester resin in an amount of over 0.05 part for every parts composed of said resin and said monomer.

The time required for complete gelation in this invention can be adjusted by varying (a) the concentration of the ionic polymerization catalyst when it is employed; (b) the concentration of the gelling agent when it is employed; (0) the concentration of each of the organic quaternary ammonium compounds and the mercaptans when they are employed. In the above (c) case, the time required for complete gelation can be lessened by adding 0.0001 to 0.1 part of metallic organic salts which is soluble in the unsaturated polyester resin and the monomer (preferably copper, cobalt, manganese, calcium or lead naphthenates) for every 100 parts comprising said resin and the monomer. In this instance, as one way of embodying this invention, the above metallic salts can be first added to the polyester resin and the monomer prior to the addition of the free radical polymerization catalysts, and the organic quaternary ammonium compounds and the mercaptans.

In gelling the unsaturated polyester resin according to the three methods of this invention hereinabove mentioned, the free radical polymerization catalysts remain intact intimately mixed with the resin mixture after the resin mixture has been converted to a gel (in the first stage) by the previous addition of said gelation catalysts to the resin mixture. The risen mixture in the gel state is then cured in the second stage by heating at 70 to C. for a duration of 30 seconds to 15 minutes.

In the following there are described in detail certain practical applieations'of this invention.

further formulating whenever one chooses to form the final, cured products.

(B) As a material for forming rodor bar-form, tubular-form, cord-form, or sheet-form products: the gel obtained from the first stage is subjected to pulverization and subsequently is extruded into a rodor bar-form, tubularform, cord-form, or sheet-form gel. The unsaturated polyester resin mixture in the liquid state with or without admixed filling materials and/ or reinforcing be similarly subjected to extrusion, thereby in similar forms. Thereafter the formed gels to curing by heating.

The gels in cord-form, sheet-form, barand rod-forms stage of this invention can be stored for a considerable period of time as so-called prepreg molding materials without curing to hard, infusible products. At any time during this period they can be subobtaining gels are subjected (C) As molding materials for making small molded products: liquid unsaturated polyester resin mixture is poured into a hollow horizontal cylinder wherein it is subjected to rotation while it gels, thereby forming a bar or tubular gel which, after being cut or punched to desired forms, is subjected to pressed molding to obtain small molded products'such as buttons.

(D) As materials for making so-called pre-mix compounds: the unsaturated polyester resin mixture (itself or admixed with filling agents) impregnated onto with continuous fibrous reinforcing materials (such as glass roving) is subjected to gelation and thereafter it is cut into a desired length to obtain straw-form pre-mix compounds. The compounds are then molded and cured under heat and pressure to produce molded article. When the liquid unsaturated polyester resin mixture, WhlCh may or may not contain filling materials, is mixed in a mixer with chopped glass fibres and gelation is brought about, puffy-form pre-mix compounds are obtained. These premix compounds can stably be stored for a considerable period, during which period they can be molded at any time one chooses.

pressure. Thus the pre-forming of large-size molded products can be effectuated easily and economically in the above manner. Besides, the pre-formed, gelled but uncured products can be stored for a considerably long period of time.

(F) As materials for making other products: (i) Particle-size or sheet-form gels as molding materials which not contain reinforcing or filling materials are put in a metallic mold, wherein they are pressed at 3-30 kg/cm. under heating at 8 0150 C. for 30 seconds to 15 minutes to obtain a hard molded product. (ii) Sheet-form gel which contains glass fibre, paper, cotton cloth, knitted bamboo or knitted wood-plats is formed into contoured sheets having the desired curved surfaces, and the contoured sheets are then heated to -150 C. for 30 seconds to 15 minutes to cure them into hard, strong, laminated as so-called pre-preg molding materials, period they can be subjected as desired to the second stage treatment at any time to obtain hard, final products.

The instant invention can equally be applied to and embodied in not only (a) the unsaturated polyester resin mixture itself but also (b) mixtures of the resin mixture with calcium carbonate, barium sulphate, clay, metallic powder, glass powder, coloring agents or other pulverized substances and (c) resin mixtures to which have been added such fibrous substances as glass fibre, cotton fibre, jute fibre, asbestos and synthetic fibres.

The following examples described in detail certain embodiments or illustrations of the rnstant invention. How- Example 1 parts of unsaturated polyester resin obtained by heating at 180 C., a mixture of anhydrous maleic acid, anhydrous phthalic acid and propylene glycol in an amount corresponding to a molecular ratio of 0.5:0.5:1.1 until the acid value of the material reached 50, was dis solved in 50 parts of styrene to which 0.05 part of hydroquinone had been added as an inhibitor. After mixing the solution with 1 part of benzoyl peroxide, there was 0.8 part of boron trifluoride acetic acid complex (adduct). The resulting mixture was kept standing at 20-3 0 C., for 1030 hours to obtain a sheet in a gel state. The sheet was stored in a gel state for 3 weeks at 20-30 C., and thereafter it was heated in a metallic mold at C., for 5 minutes to obtain a hard, infusible molded product.

Example 2 100 parts of unsaturated polyester resin obtained by heating at C. a mixture ofanhydrous maleic acid, anhydrous phthalic acid and propylene glycol in an amount corresponding to a molecular ratio of 0.5 10. 5 1.1 until the acid value of the material reached 50, with which 0.2 part of trimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, 0.00001 part of copper naphthenate, and 50 parts of styrene had sulting mixture was then cast in a horizontal cylinder under rotation at a temperature of 35 C. for one hour to obtain a hollow pipe in a gel state with pearl lustre. The pipe was then cut longitudinally into sheets. Each sheet was able to be stored in a gel state at 25-30 C. for over one month. The sheets were then put into metallic molds either as sheets, or after having been pulverized to particles, and then cured under heating at 120 C., and pressure for 3 minutes to obtain molded products such as hard buttons.

amount corresponding to a molecular ratio of 0.5:0.5:1.1 until the acid value of the material reached 50, with which impregnated with to 40 C. for 2 hours, whereby it was converted to a tack-free gel. The impregnated glass roving was cut into 2 inch pieces to obtain a pre-mix compound. The com- 7 pound was stored for 4 weeks without hardening or curing. It was then put into a rnetallic mold wherein it was molded at 120 C. and at a pressure of 50 kg./cm. for 3 minutes into a molded product having excellent mechanical strength. Characteristics of the product were: flexural strength 25 kg./mm. tensile strength 18 kg./

mm?, and impact strength 86 kg./cm.

Example 4 66.7 parts of unsaturated polyester resin obtained by heating at 180 C. a mixture of anhydrous maleic acid, anhydrous phthalic acid and propylene glycol in an amount corresponding to a molecular ratio of 0.5:0.5:1.1 until the acid value of the material reached 50, was dissolved in 33.3 parts of styrene to which 0.03 part of hydroquinone had been added as an inhibitor. After mixing the solution with 1 part of tertiary butyl perbenzoate and 2 parts of triphenyl methane triisocyanate, and the mixture after having been impregnated on glass cloth, formed into a sheet, was placed between polyethylene film, rolled and kept standing for 20 hours at 2030 C. Thereby a tack-free molding material in sheet form was obtained. This was stored stably for 30 days, and then it was laminated in ten plies and was placed in a metallic mold wherein it was subjected to pressing at 120 C. and 30 kg./cm. for 5 minutes to obtain a hard, laminated, molded product.

Example 5 A solution comprising 66.7 parts of the unsaturated polyester resin, 33.3 parts of styrene and 0.03 part of hydroquinone similar to that in the preceding example was mixed with 0.5 part of parachlorobenzoyl peroxide and 2 parts of aluminium triisGpropylate, whereby the resulting mixture was converted to a gel in a few minutes at a room temperature. It was stably stored for a fortnight at 20 to 30 C. Then it was pulverized to a suitable particle-size one and was placed in a metallic mold wherein it was subjected to pressing at 130 C. and 30 kg./cm. for 3 minutes whereby a transparent and infusible hard molded product was obtained.

Example 6 100.03 parts of the solution similar to that in Example 4 was mixed with 0.7 part of benzoyl peroxide and 4 parts of butyl titanate, and the mixture, after having been im pregnated on paper or cloth which bear patterns, was formed into a sheet, which was placed on polyethylenelaminated cellophane paper, rolled and was maintained for 2 hours at a room temperature. Thereby a tack-free laminating material in sheet form was obtained. This was stored for 30 days at a room temperature. After tearing off the paper employed, said material was placed on a plywood plate 5 millimetres in thickness and a stainless lustrous plate was placed on it. Then it was subjected to pressing at 120 C. and 15 kg./cm. for minutes whereby the material tightly adhered to the plywood plate. Thus a beautiful decorative plate with a lustrous surface was obtained.

Example 7 100.03 parts of the solution similar to that in Example 4 was mixed with 3 parts of pearl essence, 0.8 part of lauroyl peroxide and 4 parts of aluminium diisopropylateethylacetoacetate chelate compound, whereby the resulting mixture was converted to a gel in 2 hours at a room temperature. It was stored stably for about a fortnight at a room temperature. The gel, after having been chopped to suitable-sized pieces, was placed in a metallic mold wherein it was subjected to pressing at 120 C. and 30 lrg/cm. for 3 minutes to obtain a resinous product with pearl lustre. Manufacture of buttons in this manner resulted in a saving of materials by about 20% compared with the conventional centrifugal method, namely the casting in a horizontal cylinder under rotation.

What is claimed is:

1. The process of manufacturing articles from curable olefinically unsaturated polyester resins which comprises the steps of (A) mixing said resin with (a) a monomeric organic compound having an olefinic double bond which reacts with the olefinic unsaturated bond of said polyester resin in copolymerization by a free radical polymerization catalyst, (b) at least one free radical polymerization catalyst which is active only at temperatures above 60 C. selected from the group consisting of benzoyl peroxide, parachlorobenzoyl peroxide, di-tertiarybutyl peroxide, tertiary butyl perphthalic acid, 2,2-bis(tertiary butyl) peroxybutane, tertiary-butyl peracetate, di-cumyl peroxide, lauroyl peroxide, azo-bis-isobutylonitrile, and ambis-phenyl ethane, the amount of said free radical polymerization catalyst being 0.01 to 5 parts by weight for every parts comprising said resin and said monomer, and (c) a boron trifluoride compound selected from the class consisting of boron trifluoride and its adducts, the amount of said boron trifiuoride compound being 0.001 to 5 parts by weight for each 100 parts by weight comprising said resin and said monomer; (B) allowing the resulting resinous mixture to react at a temperature below about 60 C. to form a deformable gel which is stable to prolonged storage; and (C) thereafter subjecting said gel to a temperature above about 60 C. to cure said gel to a hard product.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gel is shaped into an article prior to heating to cure.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gel is formed in a rotating, horizontal cylinder.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gel is formed in a mixer in the presence of a fibrous filler.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein an inert film sheet is coated with said resinous mixture prior to formation of said gel, the gel after it is formed on said film is attached to an object under pressure, and the film is stripped off after curing.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein fabrics are impregnated with said resinous mixture prior to formation of a gel and the impregnated fabrics are formed into contoured shapes after gelation but before heating to cure whereby after heating contoured articles are formed.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein continuous fibers are imprenated with said resinous mixture prior to the formation of a gel, the impregnated fibers are cut into pieces each 3 mm. to mm. in length after gelation and are molded and cured under pressure and heat to produce hard, molded products.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resulting resinous mixture is sprayed together with a fibrous material onto a preformed mold, allowing said mixture to gel and subsequently heating the gel thus obtained under pressure to form a molded product.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,429,060 10/ 1947 Hoover et al 260-865 2,529,214 11/1950 Harris 260-865 2,628,209 2/1953 Fisk 260-863 2,830,966 4/1958 Petropoulos 260-865 2,974,116 3/1961 Pahlser et al. 260-75 3,003,991 10/1961 Marszewski et al. 260-863 3,227,665 1/1966 Fourcade et al. 260-25 SAMUEL H. BLECH, Primary Examiner. MURRAY TILLMAN, Examiner. J. T. GOOLKASIAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING ARTICLES FROM CURABLE OLEFINICALLY UNSATURATED POLYESTER RESINS WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF (A) MIXING SAID RESIN WITH (A) A MONOMERIC ORGANIC COMPOUND HAVING AN OLEFINIC DOUBLE BOND WHICH REACTS WITH THE OLEFINIC UNSATURATED BOND OF SAID POLYESTER RESIN IN COPOLYMERIZATION BY A FREE RADICAL POLYMERIZATION CATALYST, (B) AT LEAST ONE FREE RADICAL POLYMERIZATION CATALYST WHICH IS ACTIVE ONLY AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE 60*C. SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BENZOYL PEROXIDE, PARACHLOROBENZOYL PEROXIDE, DI-TERTIARYBUTYL PEROXIDE, TERTIARY BUTYL PERPHTHALIC ACID, 2,2-BIS(TERTIARY BUTYL) PEROXYBUTANE, TERTIARY-BUTYL PERACETATE, DI-CUMYL PEROXIDE, LAUROYL PEROXIDE, AZO-BIS-ISOBUTYLONITRILE, AND AZOBIS-PHENYL ETHANE, THE AMOUNT OF SAID FREE RADICAL POLYMERIZATION CATALYST BEING 0.01 TO 5 PARTS BY WEIGHT FOR EVERY 100 PARTS COMPRISING SAID RESIN AND SAID MONOMER, AND (C) A BORON TRIFLUORIDE COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF BORON TRIFLUORIDE AND ITS ADDUCTS, THE AMOUNT OF SAID BORON TRIFLUORIDE COMPOUND BEING 0.001 TO 5 PARTS BY WEIGHT FOR EACH 100 PARTS BY WEIGHT COMPRISING SAID RESIN AND SAID MONOMER; (B) ALLOWING THE RESULTING RESINOUS MIXTURE TO REACT AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW ABOUT 60*C. TO FORM A DEFORMABLE GEL WHICH IS STABLE TO PROLONGED STORAGE; AND (C) THEREAFTER SUBJECTING SAID GEL TO A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 60*C. TO CURE SAID GEL TO A HARD PRODUCT. 